New Look appoints Mark Matthews as new retail director

New Look, a prominent UK womenswear brand targeting the 18–44 sector, today announced the appointment of Mark Matthews as its new retail director. Matthews steps into the role with immediate effect, succeeding Elaine Cartwright, who departs after over a decade with the company.

In his new position, Matthews will take responsibility for the entirety of New Look’s store estate and will be crucial in implementing the company's omnichannel strategy across its physical locations. His primary focus will be to drive sales and enhance the customer experience through seamless digital and in-store integration.

Helen Connolly, CEO of New Look, commented that the store estate is a "vital part of our omnichannel strategy," and welcomed Matthews for his "extensive industry expertise and a customer-first mindset." Connolly also took the opportunity to thank outgoing director Elaine Cartwright for leaving the Retail division "in a place of strength."

Matthews brings a wealth of relevant experience, having held senior roles at major retailers including Co-op Food, Bonmarché, George at Asda, and Selfridges, where he focused on operations, visual merchandising, and in-store digital enhancements.

Matthews, who will join the director team, noted that the brand has made "great strides in creating a seamless customer experience across channels" and he looks forward to building on that momentum.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the brand, which is currently executing a significant omnichannel strategy focused on optimising its store network. This strategic focus is already yielding results, with recent store upgrades—including concept launches at Bluewater and across Manchester—delivering strong double-digit like-for-like sales growth.

Earlier this year, the company earmarked a 30 million pounds investment to fuel its next phase of digital growth, which has already supported the successful soft launch of its first loyalty app, Club New Look, now boasting over 700,000 members.